. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Enclosure]
The Secretary of
State to the Japanese Prime Minister (Hiranuma)
On his return to Washington Ambassador Grew delivered to me
personally the message which Your Excellency was so good as to place
in his hands through the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs. I
have read with unusual interest the expressions of Your Excellency’s
concern at the existence among the nations of Europe of antagonism
which may lead to open conflict, and of Your Excellency’s concern as
to what the consequences might be to millions of people and to
civilization should such antagonism lead to an outbreak of war. In
this situation Your Excellency sees it as the duty of the
Governments of our two countries, owing to their situation “outside
the scope of European conflict” to exert efforts to prevent the
occurrence of the casualty envisaged.
I have carefully noted also the statements pertaining to the causes
of strained relations in the European situation, the interest of my
Government in the preservation of peace, and finally the “ardent
wish of Japan” that the relations of nations might be so arranged
that true world peace would be established and maintained.
Your Excellency will have no doubt, in the light of the published
utterances of the President and myself and of the principles we have
advocated and supported, that the Government of the United States
wholeheartedly desires to see established and maintained upon the
basis of fair dealing and fair play between and among nations a
condition of true world peace. With especial reference to the
situation in Europe, Your Excellency will be apprised of the recent
earnest efforts of this Government: the President’s identic messages
sent on September 26, 1938, to the heads of several European
governments which had reached an alarming crisis in their
relations;8 identic
messages addressed on April 14, 1939, by the President and myself
respectively to the Chancellor of the German Reich and to the
Premier of Italy with regard to the possible removal of the
pervading threat or fear of a European war.9
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It would be most gratifying to me, and I may also speak for the
President, if there could be found ways for the use of your
Government’s influence toward discouraging among European
governments, especially those governments with which your Government
may have special relations, the taking of any action, or the
pursuance of any policy, that might endanger the general peace. I am
confident that any such contribution as this would constitute a high
service to those great sections of humanity which live in fear of
the devastation of war.
In further reference to Your Excellency’s expressed desire to see a
true world peace established and maintained, I venture to observe,
in a spirit of frankness which I trust will not be misunderstood,
that this objective is made the more remote by the existence and the
continuance of armed conflict and consequent political disturbances
in the Far East today. Just as the unfolding of events in the
European sphere have their repercussions in the Far East, so, it
appears, the prolongation of abnormal conditions in the Far East
contribute to causes of unrest in Europe. American opinion is
therefore perturbed by the trend of events in the Far East,
especially with regard to various declared Japanese aims and to
various methods and instrumentalities which various Japanese
agencies employ in pursuit thereof.10
If, therefore, it should prove impracticable or inexpedient to make
effective contribution at once to the settlement of problems arising
in the European area, there nevertheless would be urgent need for
the exertion of efforts in connection with disturbed conditions in
other geographical areas, especially by those nations which may
unhappily now be engaged in armed conflict. It is my view that each
peaceful settlement, in whatever geographical sphere, constitutes a
stabilizing element and an important step toward improvement in the
general world situation.
Your Excellency may be assured of the genuine desire of the President
and myself to do all within our power to convert into practical
results those principles and hopes to which we have frequently given
expression in connection with the foreign relations of the
Government of the United States. While this Government does not
perceive any practicable steps which it might usefully take at this
time in addition to those already taken, this Government is
sincerely interested in the suggestion contained in Your
Excellency’s message, and in giving further consideration to that
suggestion would be pleased to have such further information as Your
Excellency may
[Page 8]
find it
agreeable to offer by way of amplifying and making more definitive
Your Excellency’s concept as to the steps which might usefully be
taken toward moderating the situation in Europe.
